The 'Board of Peace' announced a Palestinian body will take Hamas weapons. That's not what Trump said

US President Donald Trump on Friday told reporters that the "Board of Peace" will be the one to collect Hamas's weapons as the group begins to disarm, even though the board itself had announced that a Palestinian technocratic body will assume that role.

The details matter because the statements marked the first on-camera opportunity for the president to build confidence in the Board of Peace announcement - an organisation for which he is chairman for life.

"As Hamas disarms as part of this plan, who do you see is taking possession of those weapons that they have? Does that go to the new government?" a reporter asked Trump during his cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.

"It's going to be run by the Board of Peace. This Board of Peace has been amazing. It's led by some amazing people," the president responded.

Just hours earlier, the board had shared on X that there would be "a framework that includes full demilitarization, de-radicalization, and the transfer of all civilian and security authorities in Gaza to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)".

"Only the NCAG will hold, store or control any weapon in the Strip," the Board said. 

That language was likely key to ensuring Hamas agreed to the handover, given it has repeatedly made clear it will only deal with other Palestinians, in a bid to demonstrate national unity.

"This is just kind of the latest manifestation of the chaotic nature of this," Guy Ziv, the associate director at the Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies at American University, told Middle East Eye.

Bishara Bahbah, the Palestinian-American former chair of Arab Americans for Trump, who spent most of last year as a backchannel between Hamas and Trump's negotiating team ahead of the October ceasefire announcement, told MEE he does not believe there are duelling statements from the board and Trump.

"It's not a contradiction. The Board of Peace would collect [the weapons], meaning the technocratic committee that would run Gaza, and they're not going to keep them themselves. They're probably going to hand them to some other party, most likely the Egyptians," he said.

"And the Egyptians, once they have those weapons, those weapons are gone. Meaning Hamas is not going to ever see them again."

Devil is in the details

Thursday's announcement that Hamas had agreed to disarm - something that was already in Trump's 20-point plan from last year - remains more of a roadmap than a step-by-step implementation phase.

Hamas said on Friday that any agreement for "complete disarmament" of Palestinian factions in Gaza depends on Washington and Israel honouring commitments made under the 10 October ceasefire deal. 

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Israeli drone strikes were still taking place on Friday across Gaza, killing at least two people. 

Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas representative, told Reuters on Friday that the group would retain its weapons until Israel halted its attacks, allowed more aid and goods into Gaza, and withdrew its forces.

Asked what assurances Israel had given to adhere to its own end of the bargain, Trump said on Friday that he has "an understanding with Israel" and that "Israel is very happy about it".

"Israel helped us, and they've been very good."

Michael Koplow, the chief policy officer for the Israeli Policy Forum think tank, said on X that he believes "Israeli strategy with Trump has been [to] say yes, count on the other side saying no, and assign the blame when nothing moves forward onto the Palestinian side."

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, however, said the government hasn't agreed to anything at all. "The draft agreement published by the 'Peace Council' is not acceptable to Israel," he wrote in Hebrew.

"The targeted killings in Gaza must continue, encouraging emigration must happen, Israel must win," he added. 

With Israeli elections less than two months away, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been keen on not appearing to compromise on any issue relating to Palestinians.

Bahbah told MEE that Trump must personally keep "his foot on the pedal" and "strong-arm" Israel to bring this agreement to fruition.

'Israel is going to find one excuse after the other'

- Bishara Bahbah, Arab Americans for Trump

"We have, quite frankly, a secretary of state who is so pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian that he is doing anything within his power, such as not allowing Palestinians to use their passports to come into the United States, or giving them visas," Bahbah said of Marco Rubio.

"So unless the president himself is convinced... into making this a priority, Israel is going to find one excuse after the other."

Ziv questioned to what end Trump would see his role vis-a-vis Palestinians and statehood, a core demand and expectation from almost all the signatories to the Board of Peace, and particularly Arab, Muslim, and European stakeholders. 

"What is the vision that the administration has? They're not really using the two-state discourse that has been used for 25 years since Bill Clinton," he said. 

"How are they going to square the circle here? Netanyahu is not going to agree... to a Palestinian state. That's not happening."

MEE previously reported that the US president may be willing to play the waiting game and see if Netanyahu is ousted in October.

World reacts

While it remains unclear to what degree Hamas will disarm if the group still perceives a persistent Israeli military threat, the group's heavy weapons such as mortars and rocket launchers are set to go first, followed by its Kalashnikov rifles.

'What is the vision that the administration has? They’re not really using the two-state discourse that has been used for 25 years since Bill Clinton'

- Guy Ziv, American University

"Hamas has committed not to develop any weapons, not to smuggle any weapons, not to display any military signs in Gaza of any sort, and I think that hasn't been easy for them to come to that conclusion, just because the Israelis have been violating the ceasefire agreement on a daily basis, and they have been targeting their leaders in Gaza," Bahbah told MEE. 

As of Thursday, the Gaza health ministry has identified at least 73,341 Palestinians killed in Gaza since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

More than 1,200 of them were killed by Israeli sniper fire or air strikes after the 10 October ceasefire was announced by Trump.

Another 174,086 Palestinians in total have been wounded. 

Saudi Arabia, with which Netanyahu is eager for a normalisation agreement that was largely scuttled by the 7 October attacks, described the Board of Peace announcement as "historic" on Friday.

"The Kingdom commends President Trump’s leadership and steadfast commitment, which have been instrumental in achieving this significant milestone," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The Kingdom also emphasizes the importance of the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force, and the continued, unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support to the Palestinian people."

Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called the developments "constructive".

"A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties. Verifying Hamas’ compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza," she wrote on X.

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"The EU is Gaza’s biggest humanitarian donor. In July, the EU pledged €900 million in aid projects to help Gaza recover from the war."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently involved in mediating talks between the US and Iran, said on X that he "welcomes" the news of disarmament along with Israeli withdrawal.

"The mediating countries including the United States of America, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, deserve special appreciation for their efforts in achieving this progress. Under President Trump's courageous leadership, this represents a significant achievement for the Board of Peace," Sharif wrote.

"Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Palestine". 

Canada - which was disinvited from the Board of Peace by Trump when it criticised the membership structure - called the disarmament announcement "an important step".

"As one of the largest donors to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, Canada stands ready to contribute to this effort," Prime Minister Mark Carney said on X.

"We remain committed to a just and lasting resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, based on a negotiated two-state solution in which Israeli and Palestinian people can live in peace, security and dignity."